12.12.04
We back from Egypt and more exhausted than I care to communicate with text. Our flight leaves this afternoon. We're leaving school at 12:45 P.M. for Tel Aviv. Don't forget to pick us up at the airport!
- Jake and Cam
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12.08.04
Well, we're here in Luxor in an "Internet Cafe." We just wanted to let everyone know that we're still alive and kickin'. We've had some pretty long days, but we're told that the longest one is tomorrow. We're having a great time. We saw the pyramids, rode camels (Cami's favorite. Apparently camels are her new favorite member of the animal kingdom.) We took a boat ride on the Nile at sunset; it was pretty. There's still a lot to do though. We're both looking forward to coming home. Hope everything is well and all the birthday presents are being lined up...
From Southern Egypt - Jake and Cam
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12.03.04
So it's 12:30 on Friday afternoon. I am finally finished with everything. Cami has one more test at 1:00 P.M. Whew. It feels good to be done. I started packing for Egypt and for home since there will be limited time to do so once we return. I'll finish later this afternoon.
Our tests all went fairly well. The Biblical Archaeology exam (which was 100% of our grade) about which everyone was freaking out turned out to go farily well and with a minimal loss of sleep the night before (at least for me). Back to packing: it's going pretty well for me. I still don't know how Cami is going to fit everything into her suitcases. (The picture to the right is of her room. She wanted me to take one before we left and I thought that due to the condition that it was in it was a good time to take it).
I talked to Dr. Wright about what we should do in London during our layover. He gave me directions to information sources and to the subway which will take us to the city for a few hours of siteseeing. It should be interesting considering will will be coming off a eight day field study.
Speaking of which...we'll have limited contact while in Egypt. We might try and pop into an Internet café to send a few emails to interested parties, but we don't know for sure how busy we'll be. I typed up our itinerary so people would stop asking me what we're doing in Egypt:
Egypt Itinerary
We're glad the semester is over, and we're ready to come home and see everyone. (By the way, there really isn't an answer to the poll question. I miss all of them!) We've acquired a lot of experiences (as well as pictures), and we're eager to share them. Keep is in your prayers as we scramble all over the land of Egypt, and send us an email if the mood should strike you. (Or prepare for December 21 because we all know what happens on that wonderful day!)
Taking up a bedouin lifestyle to travel the land of Egypt - Jake & Cam
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11.27.04
Greetings, all. Thanksgiving dinner was magnificent. Hope yours was just as good. I had four pieces of left-over pie after dinner yesterday. It was marvelous. Here are some pictures from our last field study and from Thanksgiving dinner.
Jordan Field Study/Thanksgiving Photos (high bandwidth)
Jordan Field Study/Thanksgiving Photos (low bandwidth)
We've still got a lot to get done before the Egypt field study, so keep us in your prayers. And maybe pray that the maintenence guy turns on the heat because some of us are freezing into useless blocks of ice.
16 Days and Counting: Aren't you excited? - Jake & Cam
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11.25.04
We just wanted to send you all our Thanksgiving tidings. We miss you, friends and family. Enjoy the fun and food, and rest assured we are as well.
Thanksgiving Greetings
Happy Thanksgiving - Jake & Cam
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11.24.04
Hello, everyone. Just wanted to fill you in on a few updates. Things are pretty busy here. Papers to write, projects to complete, and finals to take. We took our last Physical Settings test as well as the final exam. We both feel sterling about our performance on said work.
But somewhere in all that I still took some time to make a few changes to this so-called website. I added the weather which I've wanted to do for awhile. (I know how much you like the weather, Dad). It pulls the information from the National Weather Service and is updated automatically every hour. I added links to your local at the bottom of the page.
Probably more noticable than the link to the weather is the "Quick Poll" you see at the right side of the page. Just a random thing that I've wanted to write for some time now. The question will change after a week or so.
Don't worry. Photos from our last field study are on the way. Things really have been busy lately and of course we are putting our school work before everything else. ;) Nineteen days until we come home. Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night. I saw some turkeys in the freezer so I think it's going to be pretty American here. We're going to miss the family get-togethers. Hope all is going well.
Talk to you soon bizrat Ha Shem - Jake & Cam
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11.10.04
It's Wednesday night here. We leave for our four-day field study in Jordan tomorrow morning at 6:00. We will return Sunday night. Everything is going well here. We had our final Ancient Egypt class today. Now just the final exam which is a take-home and the seven-day trip in December. Our Physical Settings of the Bible class will also conclude with tomorrow's field study, save for a test and the final exam.
The school director teaches these two classes and is leaving when we return from Jordan for the United States where he will be attending conferences to promote the school. He will be accompanied by a promotional CD-ROM and video which were prepared by myself and another student. Things were pretty harried there for a bit, but everything is done and appears to be fairly acceptable. Glad that's over with.
Aside from that and the fact that one of the toilets in the bathroom I clean broke, I have some good news. The financial concern with the home institution has evidently been resolved. Esa eynay el haHarim; Meayin yabo esriy? "I lift mine eyes unto the hills; from whence does my help come?"
Thanks for your prayers - Jake and Cam
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11.05.04
We made it back from our four-day field study in Galilee. All the illness has been stricken. Yesterday we had a field study at Lacish for Biblical Archaeology. We uploaded some pictures; due to time restraints I changed the format to speed the process along a little. Here they are:
Galilee Photos (high bandwidth)
Galilee Photos (low bandwidth)
Hope you enjoy them. Send us emails [but not packages]. Thanks for your thoughts.
Jake & Cam
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10.30.04
Just thought I'd let anyone who actually reads this thing know that we'll be out of touch for the next four days. We have a four-day field study in the region of Galilee. It should be fun and interesting as most of our studies thus far have been Old Testament oriented, now we get to hike around Jesus' own stomping ground.
I (Jake) am feeling much better. Thank you for your thoughts and notes of concern. Cami is still a little under the weather (although some apple pie and vanilla ice cream temporarily relieved her discomfort). She would appreciate your prayers. Also some issues need to be ironed out with the home scholastic institution, so that is also heavy on our minds.
I would mention that we received the packages but lately there have been so many I've been somewhat overwhelmed. We now talk to people in line at the Post Office and give friendly waves to those behind the counter who recognize us. McDonald's has also played host to my hunger lately; every few days we walk up town and buy vanilla cones (Dad, they are only about $.41 here so I'm attempting to make up for all those missed Sundays).
Send us an email or leave us a message to come home to. We love you and miss you and hope all is well and that the democrats aren't ruling the nation while we're away.
Jake and Cam
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10.24.04
Sunday afternoon here. I told you October was going to be busy. We haven't had time to do much but homework and field studies. Last weekend was our three-day field study of Judah/Shephelah/Philistia, the Negev, and the Dead Sea. We visited such sites as Arad, Beer-sheva, Masada, En-Gedi, the Dead Sea, and Qumran. It was a long weekend but worth the hike. We posted some new pictures on the photos page, some from the field study and some from before.
I (Jake) haven't been feeling very well lately and slipping into a comatose state would be a welcome reprieve from restless nights and meal-less days. Cami has had a bit of a cold lately also, so if you wouldn't mind keeping us in your prayers.
Thanks for the packages and letters in the mail. Keep us updated in your emails.
God Bless - Jake and Cam
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10.03.04
It is Sunday morning here and yesterday was our Benjamin Field Study. We visited such locales as the Wadi Qilt, Jericho, and the Emmaus Road. Most interesting of the day was our attempts to gain entrance into Jericho, as it took three tries and roughly two hours. Alas we returned home and were welcomed with peppers stuffed with rice and meat, one of the better meals on the menu.
We managed to get the packages (5 of them) on Wednesday, though just barely, for the combined weight surely pushed seventy-five pounds. But just as a woman who forgets her suffering at the sight of her newborn, we easily forgot our woes as we were soon rolling in our families' generosity. All of the packages blessed us immensely and we appreciate your care.
The week has been busy and the weekend similarly so. October is the busiest month of the school year on this calendar, and we have the most classes coming up in the four weeks (although our four-hour-marathon class is cancelled for two weeks). Your emails, packages, cares, and prayers are all appreciated and welcome.
God Bless - Jake and Cam
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09.28.04
Well, we made it back safely from the Golan and are two days into classes of this week. We had a great time and enjoyed the fresh air, although we were nearly suffocated with exhaust fumes in rush hour on our way back. We arrived back in time on Sunday for a great meal of rice, meat, and potatoes and get at least some rest before classes Monday. Here's a more detailed description of our weekend: Golan Heights
We we informed that we have five packages awaiting our pickup at the post office, but due to our four-hour History of Ancient Israel class, we were unable to retrieve them. Cami was especially disappointed, but I promised we'd hurry over first thing tomorrow (Wed.).
I recently discovered an instant messaging service that allows one to make real-time phone calls over the Internet. It is free from computer to computer, but is only about 2 cents per minute from computer (us) to phone (you). I'll let you know when this possibility becomes an actuality.
Hope all is well in IN. Jake and Cam
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09.24.04
We've rented some cars and we're heading out to the Golan Heights this afternoon to spend a weekend hiking the hills and swimming in the Sea of Galilee.
Good luck, Phil. I left before it was posted.
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09.19.04
Hello, family and friends. Yesterday we had another all day field study. The amount of information with which we are presented is quite staggering. It's difficult to take it all in and try and remember what we're going to be tested on at the same time. Luckily, we are here for such a long period of time that we should have free time to revisit the places of greatest interest and absorb what might have slipped through the first time.
Here is a "brief" summary of the field study before last. Warning: it's a long one. Click here.
There are some new (last day or two) pictures on the Photos page. We appreciate your interest in what we're doing and thank you for your communications and concern.
Baruch ha Shem - Jake and Cam
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09.10.04
Today marks the end of our first full week of classes. It has been farily busy and will likely only become busier. 'Physical Settings of the Bible' and 'Ancient Egypt and the Biblical World' should prove to be fairly Western-style classes, complete with syllabus and intermittent assignments. 'History of Ancient Israel' is a four credit-hour class; our professor only wants to come to campus once per week so we have a four-hour class period for that one. That rather large span of time will be taken up mostly by lecture. 'Biblical Archaeology' is taught by one of the foremost experts in Biblical Archaeology, Dr. G. Barkay, an older gentleman who has seen and uncovered a great deal and should have some very interesting tales to relate. 'Biblical Hebrew III' was the class about which I was most concerned. The professor is a wonderful fellow and the class should prove very beneficial and not too much work.
We had a bonfire tonight after our pre-Sabbath dinner (erev succot). Speaking of dinner, the food here is cooked by a native Arab. She is fairly good and does her best to replicate a typical American meal every couple days or so. Last night we had peppers stuffed with rice and meat. I spooned all the stuffing out of my pepper and left the pepper for the cat. The lemonade is always a little watered-down and the corn isn't quite like Indiana-grown, but we're still alive and get to enjoy some meals (like potatoes and meatballs).
Cami is on the worship team that led the rest of the group in some songs around the campfire tonight. She is also looking into a ministry opportunity in the Old City consisting of an after-school club for gypsy children. She is having a little more trouble assimilating her palaate to the unique flavors of local food. She mainly sticks to the soup and fresh fruit which is always a little less than ripe (but she likes that). She's getting along very well with her roommate, Jen, who attends Columbia International University in SC.
Cami shares a very large room--by college dorm standards--with her one roommate, while I share about 2/5 the space with two other fellows. But our room is on the roof so I guess that is recompense. I've decided that it is quite impossible to pass from any room on campus to another without going up or down stairs, and at minimum two of them. From the main floor I must scale a conservative 75 steps to arrive at my room. Combined with the hilly nature of the city, the stair-mastering and town-wandering have left my calves rather sore. I am comforted by the vision of my vertical leap increasing inches upon inches.
Some new pictures should be on the pictures page, and the 'Email' link at the top of the page works now. Thanks for keeping up with us and more importantly for your thoughts and prayers.
Shalom - Jake and Cam
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09.09.04
The photos page and the message board are working now. In case you care. :)
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09.05.04
Today the school director (Dr. Paul Wright) took us on a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. We visited a lot of places and we only snapped a couple of quick photos with plans to return on our own time and better document the numerous places we visited.
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See the photos page for the pictures.
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09.03.04
We have arrived at last. After roughly sixteen hours of travel, the ground not moving beneath me is a welcome reprieve. The three hour drive to O'hare left me anxious to use the facilities. I used them a second time before boarding our delayed flight. After finally being seated, we are delayed further by a luckless passenger who has misplaced her passport. After a considerable time spent searching through this traverler's baggage and personal effects, we are asked to stand, as we are seated directly behind the scene, so that they might perform a more thorough search of the area. One of the flight attendants eventually locates the rogue document wedged between the seat cusion of my seat. But of course this is not before he has drawn my carry-on bag out from under the seat and attempted to place it in the aisle. I say attempted because he must have thought ground level was considerably higher than it was, for my carry-on, containing my laptop computer and several other electronic devices of which I am quite fond, struck the floor after being dropped from roughly 4.5 feet in the air. Needless to say my face contorted. The computer has yet to be tested following its doomsday drop, but hopefully it will exhibit great hardiness and withstand the unwarranted abuse.
As our flight was delayed so long, we were rushed, led by a very nice British gentleman, to our connecting flight at Heathrow. It was during this scramble that we met three other JUC students, with whom later we would share a cab from Tel Aviv. The British Airways employee had a spectacular ability to walk at running pace. I was carrying one of Cami's bags as well as my own and ofter had to jog for a stretch to catch up with the rest of the group. All figured, it took roughly eight minutes to be boarded on our next plane. In another three we were rolling. Eleven minutes is quite fast for passengers to change planes, I mused in my head. Eleven minutes might well prove improbable for baggage.
Our flight to Tel Aviv was fairly uneventful and more restful as we did not have headrest-mounted LCD screens to rob us of sleep. We landed and proceded through customs without any difficulty. I recall going through customs in Canada where we were hassled more than here. We stood around the luggage conveyor allowing ample time for our bags to appear before the five members of our JUC party headed to the service desk to file paperwork for our missing baggage. It would seem that our luggage was not extended similar courtesy in the form of a nice British gentleman to escort it to our plane.
We made our way out of the airport to the endless lines of taxi stands. After commissioning the owner of a eight passenger van and loading in, we were soon on our way out of Tel Aviv with ten people packed into the vehicle. The ride was interesting. Our taxi driver had little need for lane markings on the four and six lane roads, often driving on the dividing lines for miles. Of course, this is not so great a problem when you are moving faster than anything else on the road, as you rarely have to worry about people behind you. Inside the van, the riders were subjected to the seemingly endless tirade by our driver, littered with pangs of outrage, bursts of opinion, and little time spent watching traffic, as his eyes were more often on the rearview mirror, urging his captive audience to agree with him. As it was in Hebrew, most of us were lost; although the topic of conversation became clear when "Bush ah-tal Kerry" was mentioned. I just chuckled and smiled as our driver exhibited the same flair for opinion and penchant for an audience as most cabbies all over the world, clinging to their opinions just as their tires miraculously cling to the road while performing driving maneuvers well beyond any safe operating speed.
We did, however, arrive at the school without incident. After a few, "Hi, my name is..." I was led to my room on the top floor of the school. You must cross a section of the roof of the main building to reach the door; this short trip is surprising at first, for the roof overlooks the Hinnom Valley and a steep grade on the other side comprising a portion of Jerusalem proper. Visible are many buildings, some of significance but most not. The view shall afford some very beautiful sunsets. A steady breeze rolled across the roof cooling the air; a feeling which I though was fitting to close the day. I turned in and eagerly sank into my rickety bunk, already asleep.
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Stack trace:
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